1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to molded containers and in particular it relates to molded refuse containers having a lid pivotally attached to the body in a hinged arrangement by inter-connecting hinge components that are integrally molded with the body and lid.
2. Background Information
The collection of refuse from residential and commercial sites is becoming more and more automated. Increasing labor costs is one of the factors bringing about the change.
Semi-automatic and automatic equipment has been developed to collect the refuse that has been deposited in containers at residential and commercial sites. The equipment is installed on refuse trucks designed to collect and compact the refuse. The equipment elevates the container from ground level to the refuse receiving section of the truck, inverts the container to dump the refuse and returns the container to the ground level. The semi-automatic equipment requires positioning of the container by a laborer to the elevating mechanism. The automatic equipment has grappling arms or clamps that extend to grasp, elevate, and invert and then return the container to the ground without any handling by an individual.
The mechanized handling equipment required a standardization in container size and shape but it permitted the use of larger containers. Due to the increased size of the container, transport wheels and a suitable handle were provided so a user could easily move the container to curbside. Also since the containers were handled mechanically, a lid that was hinged to the body of the container was provided.
The mechanical handling of the containers subject them to high impact loads. The item most vulnerable to the impact loads is the hinge that secures the lid to the body of the container. It is therefore important to provide a hinge that has sufficient strength, not subject to undue wear, and also is easily assembled.
Providing a strong durable hinge has been a problem of the past containers on the market. Some of the hinges were fabricated and assembled to the container and lid after molding. This required additional parts, some alteration to the container which created stress points, and assembly of the parts to the container. The additional parts, the alterations required, the assembly and labor increased the cost of the container.
Typical of hinge arrangements that require additional parts for assembly are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,663,803 Gora, Security Hinge Joint With Separate Hinge Pin; 4,401,312 Parker, Automated Trash Receptacle; 4,450,976 Snyder et al, Wheeled Molded Container With Hinged Lid and 4,558,779 Hammond, Container with Hinged Lid.
Hinges that were molded to the lid and the container during the molding process have up to this point lacked in durability and strength. Projecting lobes were molded into the handle portion of the container. Mating recesses in the lid were mated to the lobes and assembly was accomplished by flexing the lid enough to permit the lobes to enter the recesses. The area of support generally was not large enough to stand the abuse the hinge would encounter during the many repetitive dumpings of the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,101 Durkan, Jr., Hinge Assembly For Lidded Refuse Containers shows a lid pivoted on the ends of pins extending from the handle. The pins that provide the total support for the lid are located at the end of the handle and are completely encased by the lid when attached to the container where stresses from overflexing the lid onto the container subjects the lid to failure.